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You may not have heard of Silver Jeans Co., but if you like denim, you've probably worn their products. The brand was launched in 1991 by Canadian company Western Glove Works, a 90-year veteran of the denim industry that has produced jeans for brands including Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Anna Sui, Gap and Nordstrom.

"Making jeans and making great clothing is something that came naturally to us," said Silver Jeans Co. founder and CEO Michael Silver. "When I launched the brand 22 years ago, I really focused on just making great products and having one girl tell another girl, or having one guy tell another guy and having this little club going."

After two decades of selling jeans through third-party stores, Silver Jeans is building more of a brand identity by creating its own dedicated stores, dubbed "lofts," the first of which opened its doors last week in The Woodlands Mall.

"We didn't have any preconceived notions about opening the first store on the East Coast or the West Coast. We wanted communities that love denim, communities that are growing in both population and economy, and we wanted to pick a mall that offers a great location and good competition. We love competition," said Silver. "Then we walked through the food court and drove around the neighborhoods and thought this is the kind of people we think will resonate with our brand."

The lofts are designed to emphasize both the heritage of the company, with vintage Western Glove Works photos from past eras on the walls and natural bleached wood throughout the space to impart a rustic, casual feel. There's also a hammock and mismatched seating throughout the 1,960-square-foot store.

"We really tried to make an environment that was comfortable. The design team and I, when we thought about what's comfortable, you know, our homes are comfortable, a cottage by the lake is comfortable, a loft is comfortable. There's an interesting juxtaposition of old heritage against a newer, kind of funkier feel," said Silver. "We like to think it's an eclectic mix. There's not a lot of shiny surfaces."

The Loft also looks different from typical clothing stores because it doesn't have the traditional row of cash registers, instead opting for check-outs available throughout the store via iPads.

"I don't think in a clothing store it's been done before - maybe Apple comes to mind, but we're happy to invite that comparison," said Silver.

The store stocks their extended size range in addition to regular men's and women's jeans and other denim clothing, and has trained all staff as "denimologists," through the Silver Jeans Co. Academy, a process that teaches them not just how the jeans fit but the process behind making them.

"Most women know what their body type is, but you get messages from jeans companies that are 'If you're this, wear this.' Instead we like to approach it very scientifically," said Silver. "Every jean we make is so well thought-out about what girl or what guy would wear what fit. When it comes to jeans we're fit experts."